Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has accused President Bola Tinubu of having a personal interest in the project, claiming that due diligence was not carried out in securing it.
“The awarding of the Lagos-Calabar coastal highway was rushed; the environmental impact assessment report was not even completed; the right of way for the 700 km stretch of the highway project was not secured; it was converted from a PPP to a government-funded project within the twinkle of an eye,” he said.
“To add insult to injury, this project that is being done in excess of $13bn was awarded without a competitive bidding,” Atiku said.
Atiku made the claim in a Sunday statement by his media aide Paul Ibe, stating that Nigeria has other priorities instead of the construction project.
Backstory
The Lagos to Calabar Coastal Highway was awarded to Hi-tech Construction Company, a subsidiary of Chagoury Group, a company in which Seyi Tinubu, President Tinubu’s son, is a member of the board of directors. This position threatens the legitimacy of the contract and the overall interest in the highway construction.
Was the Construction to Foster Economic Relations or to Promote Personal Interest?
Allegations by Former Vice President Atiku
Atiku Abubakar accused President Tinubu of funding his own interest, stating that Chagoury Group and President Tinubu are business partners, and the project is to benefit his own interest. He also mentioned that Seyi Tinubu, President Tinubu’s son, is a member of the board for the parent company to which the deal was assigned. Atiku claims that no due diligence was carried out in awarding this contract, saying that the contract was awarded without competitive bidding.
This casts a shadow on the competence of the Hi-tech company to handle and properly manage the construction.
Misapportionment:
Atiku said that N500m was approved by the National Assembly for the project, which was ignored, while over N1tn was released by Tinubu’s administration without approval from the National Assembly.
“From all indications, the so-called Badagry-Sokoto highway would be awarded in a similar fashion at an enormous cost to taxpayers purely because Tinubu has put his personal interest ahead of the Nigerian people.”
Hinders Investment:
According to Atiku, the demolition of some businesses for the construction of the Lagos-Calabar coastal road sends a bad signal to investors about the country.
“In saner climes, businesses such as Landmark would have been given at least two years’ notice in order for effective planning. But Tinubu’s eagerness to satisfy his business partners impaired his ability to coordinate the project properly.”
What People Are Saying?
Regardless of the useful points Atiku seems to be making regarding the misapportionment of the project, public opinion seems not to be on his side. Comments from the post suggest that Atiku is against President Tinubu for his own interest and is negating the president without reason. Reactions have been for the opposition party to leave the presidency alone to work and improve the country and stop speaking badly against him.
Comments from the post included: “Trump’s children were in his administration, As a Nigerian, he’s qualified to be in any organization or handle any job.”
“Is he not a Nigerian? If he is qualified, so nothing is wrong in that.”
Bottom Line
The Lagos to Calabar highway has courted a lot of controversy, especially with the demolition of Landmark Beach and other commercial properties for the right of way. Atiku’s criticism also presents a critical point of view to the construction as to the original intent of the construction.
The looming question now is: should personal interest be ignored if the construction would be beneficial to the country, or can a relevant project be considered irrelevant due to overriding personal interest?. Can public interest and personal interest come together in a public project?
